Prosecutors Raid NewsTapa and JTBC Over Alleged False Reporting on Daejangdong Case

On the 14th, the prosecution, investigating allegations of false reporting related to the Daejang-dong development corruption scandal reported just before the last presidential election, launched a forced investigation against Newstapa and JTBC.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Special Investigation Team for the 'Presidential Election Interference Public Opinion Manipulation Case' at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Team Leader Kang Baeksin, Head of the Anti-Corruption Investigation Division 3) sent prosecutors and investigators to Newstapa's office in Jung-gu, Seoul, and JTBC headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, this morning to carry out a search and seizure procedure on charges including defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act.

While the search and seizure warrant was executed at JTBC, Newstapa refused the prosecution's execution due to the presence of legal counsel and is currently in a standoff. The residences of Newstapa reporter Han and former JTBC reporter Bong Ji-wook were also included in this search and seizure operation.

The prosecution is investigating allegations that Kim Man-bae, a private developer involved in Daejang-dong, conducted a false interview on September 15, 2021, with Shin Hak-rim, former chairman of the Media Union and a professional advisor to Newstapa, claiming that "President Yoon Seok-yeol covered up the Jo Woo-hyung case through former special prosecutor Park Young-soo while he was at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Central Investigation Department," and that five days later, on September 20, paid Shin 165 million won as compensation.

The prosecution believes that Shin actively participated in the false media report by recording the false interview and providing it to Newstapa, engaging in multiple consultations, and that Newstapa, using Shin as a source, attempted to manipulate public opinion through false media reports just before the presidential election, thereby damaging President Yoon's reputation.

Reporter Bong is suspected of deliberately omitting statements from Jo Woo-hyung, who denied allegations, in a report last February before the presidential election that raised suspicions of President Yoon's involvement in the suppression of the Busan Savings Bank investigation.